Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 7
Expoſitions and Obſervations on ISAIAH 66. 12, &c.
For thus ſaith the Lord, behold I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing ſtream: then ſhall ye ſuck, ye ſhall he born upon her ſides, and dandled upon her knees, &c.
THe prophet in this Chapter ſpeaks of the calling of the Gentiles by the Iews; what glorious times the laſt times ſhould be when the Iews that were the eldeſt ſiſter, as the Gentiles are called the little ſiſter in Scripture; we have a little ſiſter and ſhe hath no breaſts; when this eldeſt ſiſter ſhould go and carry the youngeſt, when they ſhould go and call in the Gentiles, and feed them and cheriſh them, as the eldeſt children uſe to do the youngeſt. They ſhall bear them upon their ſides, and dandle them upon their knees; as we ſee children nouriſh one another, eſpecially the elder do the younger. So they ſhould be tendered, they ſhould bring all their brethren as an offering to the Lord; they ſhould bring them upon Mules, and upon ſwift beaſts, and when they could not go on foot, they ſhould put them on horſ-back, and if they could not ride, they ſhould put them in charets; and if that were too harſh they ſhould put them in litters, that is, they ſhould do any thing to nouriſh them, and to bring them up. We may well reaſon, if the children be ſo fond one of another, as that they ſhould carry them, and let them hang on their ſides, and dandle them on their knees, much more fond will the Lord be to thoſe children: Therefore in the next verſe he ſaith, As one whom his mother comforteth, ſo will I comfort you. God ſhews the dearneſs God and the Saints fond of each otherof his love, by thoſe little ſparks of love in the children of God one towards another. But his love is very high, a kinde of fondneſſe, he will dandle them on the knee. Why? Cannot he do them good but he muſt dandle them in the lap? There is a holy ſpirituall fondneſs between God and his people. He is fond of them, and they are fond of him.
It is not every Saint that is ſo; thou mayeſt be a Saint, and yet be a ſtranger to all that I am to ſpeak of from this text, But there is ſuch a thing. Becauſe a Saint, if he be a right Saint, you cannot put before him any pitch of grace and holineſſe, but he ſeeks to attaine it. As when Chriſts Diſciples came into the companie of the Diſciples of John, and Johns diſciples knew how to pray, and they did not, ſay they, Lord teach us to pray. So you need but put a higher degree of grace before a right-hearted Saint, and he will be ſick, and never be well till he hath it. Therefore I will preſent you with ſuch a temper that is in ſome Saints, that they are fond of God, with a holy, not with a ſinfull fondneſſe: as your children, they are fond of you ſometimes with a great deal of ſin; but this is a holy fondneſſe.
Firſt I will ſhew you that it is ſo.
Secondly, I will ſhew you which way God makes his children fond of himſelf.
The firſt thing is this, that a fond childe will never Proved in five particulars.ſuffer his father to go out of his ſight. Beloved, one may be a Saint, and yet may ſee his father, but as a childe at nurſe, once a quarter, or ſo. It is ordinary with the Saints, they ſee their father it may be at ſuch a Sermon, or at ſuch an ordinance, or in ſuch a private chamber, where they have examined their ſoules; and it may be they do not ſee him in a fortnight after: and they make ſhift with grace received, with the impreſſion of Gods love (when they ſaw it) and with a little help of the creature, and the comforts of the world, to hold up till they ſee him again: this is the life of moſt Saints. But there is ſuch a temper of a Saint, he is ſo fond of God that he will never let God go a moment out of his ſight, but he will cry after him. My meaning in a word is this, that there is ſuch a temper, if thou and I had attained it, that God can never go out of ken, but I alwayes behold him, and ſee him alwayes beholding me in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; I am alwayes with him. See it in the Saints, David was a fond Child; Thou ſceſt my thoughts, ſaith he, and my ſpeech, when I ſit down and when I riſe up, thou knoweſt all, and whether ſhall I go from thy preſence? It was not in a hypocriticall way that he might flee from God: but when I awake I am alway with thee, When I walk abroad, I have ſet God on my right hand that I might not ſin, when a man is alwayes in view; when Gods eye is alwayes on him, and his eye alwayes on God, what a bleſſed thing is it! Such a Saint, let God but hide his face, and he is troubled, let God go but one hour from ſuch a ſoul, and he is ready to cry out his heart, as we ſee in a fond childe. That is the reaſon there is ſo much carnalneſſe in the Saints, that they have ſo many unſaint-like tricks, like the men of the world; Why? They go behind Gods back, they think God is a ſleep a while, and they may diſpatch their buſineſſe; whereas Joſeph ſaid, how ſhall I do this thing and ſin againſt God? God was in the view of him, when he was with that wretched woman: ſo a man would ſay, how ſhall I pretend my office is for the good of the publike, and for the glory of God, when it is to in rich my family? God may be out of ſight, and ken, and yet you may be Saints: but there is a more glorious life, when a man always walks in Gods ſight, God ſeeing him, and he ſeeing God. Theſe things are not for the head, but the heart. Now talk with thy heart a little, and ſee what is thy temper, and thy way, and if thou finde it not thus, tell God; the miniſter ſaid that there be Saints that live gloriouſly, that are fond of God, that are alway with him, ſleeping, and waking, at bed, and board, they are never out of his ſight. Lord make me ſuch.
Another thing is, that a Saint that is grown fond of God, he will never be ſtill or ſatisfied with any creature. A childe that is not fond, you may give him twenty baubles whiles his mother goes to market, or doth other things, but if he be grown fond, a thouſand of thoſe will not ſatisfie him. So a true Saint hath much of God, and little of the creature; a man may be a true Saint, and be much upon the creature, but when the ſoul grows fond of God, no creatures, or rattles will ſerve, if God put the creature into his hand, he is glad, but if God be away nothing wil ſerve him: As a childe that is fond of his mother, give him a Rattle or a Cake while he is in her hand, he is glad, but nothing will ſtill him without her.
A third thing is this, there is an exceeding boldneſs in a fond childe to ask any thing of his father, truly ſuch a boldneſs as were rude in a ſtranger; a childe will ſit in the lap of his mother, and ſnatch a thing out of her hand: So people may talk of forms how people ſhould pray, and ſtand half an hour confeſſing of ſins, and ſo come on by degrees, but one that is fond of God with an holy fondneſs, he knows he may leap into his fathers lap at any time, and fall into his arms, and ask any thing without courting, and complement.
There are ſome Saints that cannot at any time get to God, and ask any thing, but they have much ado to ſet their hearts, and to get off the guilt that is between them and God as a cloud; they have much ado to get a little adoption to call God Father, and to lay hold on the promiſes: but there is ſuch a temper of holy fondneſs, that there needs not all, or any of this: God and the ſoul are ſo well acquainted, and always together, that as ſoon as ever he comes he can ask any thing, and in a holy boldneſs ſnatch it: for the Kingdom of heaven is taken by violence, therefore ſaith God concerning my ſons and daughters, Command ye me. A childe can command his father, and ſay, I muſt have a new coat, I muſt have a new book, or I muſt have a ball to play with: ſo a Saint can ſay, Father, there is a covenant, thou art my Father, and I am thy childe, it cannot ſtand with thy Truth, thou wert not juſt if thou ſhouldeſt deny me any thing that is good: O this is a holy boldneſs! As a childe can creep into his mothers breaſt, and pull it out with his hand, yet becauſe there is an inward love, ſhe bears with it, and ſmiles in his face. It argues a great deal of neerneſs to God when one is always in a readineſs to ask any thing. I have obſerved that ſouls that are far from God, they muſt always go upon their knees, but a ſoul that is neer can pray ſtanding, or walking, or talking, as that good man that you read of in the Book of Ezra, he can pray with his hat on, he can pray in his bed, or where you will, when he is is communion with God. It is a moſt glorious thing, and a grace that I have ſeen in ſome Saints, and it hath made my ſoul ſick to have it, to have a ſoul alway in ſuch a temper, they can ſpeak a ſpiritual word at any time, as it is ſaid of Bradford, to have a heart ſo familiar with God, that it can ſpeak in a moment: A weak Profeſſor prays, and he is put to it to the utmoſt for his duty in the morning, and he gos behind Gods back all the day till night, and unleſs he ſet aſide all his work, and go upon his knees, he cannot pray as he buys, and ſells, and trades.
Fourthly, there is in a fond childe a holie careleſneſs, of caſting himſelf, bodie, and ſoul, and familie, and buſines, and affairs and all upon God, Be carefull for nothing. It is not to make careleſs Chriſtians: but it is true in one ſenſe, when in a holie careleſnes, a man caſts himſelf upon God. It is your weakneſs, much of your diſpute, concerning grace, and ſalvation, and juſtification; a fond Childe of God ſmiles at it; he can come near his father, and catch him, and hold him, and ſay, I know whom I have truſted, on whom I have layd my ſoul; As a man that puts his eſtate in another hands, can ſay, I know whom I have truſted, A weak ſaint thinks little of, and cares little for the ſervice of God; but he cares much for his owne ſafetie, and ſecurity, and ſalvation: a ſtrong, fond ſaint takes leſs care for his owne ſalvation, but he cares much for the ſervice of Ieſus Chriſt. For (thinks he) let the Lord Ieſus look to that; he hath taken on him to die for my ſoul, and he hath promiſed to receive it; and he hath ſayd he will not caſt away them that come to him, I have caſt my ſoul on him, ſink or ſwim, I will not trouble my head with that, but all my thought, and care ſhall be how I may pleaſe Ieſus Chriſt, and love and glorifie him. It is a bleſſed pitch of grace when a ſaint can come to that careleſſnes, that a man is not thoughtfull for his ſoul, when he hath brought it to Chriſt, leave it there, and think not of it, but think of the work and will of Chriſt, and how to honour him. As ſuppoſe you meet in the way as you travell, an enemy, a man that (it may be) ſtands there to deſtroy you, though you meet him you know not his purpoſe, if you did, you would go another way; now when you meet the man, there is one of theſe two things to be done, either concerning your ſafetie, or your carriage to Chriſt. Now a ſaint is apt to take Chriſts work, and lay aſide his own; another man doth not care in that caſe, how he is pleaſing to Chriſt, and carries himſelf to him; but his care is how he may get off from his enemy, that he may not kill him, and take away his life: that is our errour; we ſhould leave that to Chriſt, he hath put an enemy before me, and he cannot kill me without Chriſt give him power: but my care ſhould be, how to be pleaſing to God, and ſo to ſpeak, and think, and do. As for outward things, and for the body; ſo for the ſoul, my care ſhould not be ſo much whether I ſhall be damned, or ſaved: I know into whoſe hands I have put it; but my care ſhould be, how to walk more holily and pleaſing to Chriſt, and for the edification of his Church and kingdome; this a childe that is fond of God will do.
Fiftly, a Saint that is fond of God in Ieſus Chriſt, he ſeeth ſomething of God in every thing. As they ſay of love, one that is in love, ſees nothing with her eyes, nor hears nothing with her ears but love: ſo a Saint that is fond of God, bring him meat, he ſees the love of God in Chriſt in it; bring him cloathes, or any thing, his eye is faſtened more upon the love of God in Chriſt, then upon the thing. As the ſpouſe in the Canticles (for the Canticles is a book of fondneſſe between Chriſt and his people) ſhe hears one talk, I warrant you (ſaith ſhe) this is the voice of my beloved; ſhe is ſo fond of him, that ſhe could not hear one talk, but ſhe ſaith, It is my beloved, when ſhe looks on the gallery, and the lattice, I warrant you (ſaith ſhe) my beloved looks thorow that grate, and when ſhe ſleeps, her heart waketh. It is a bleſſed thing when we do not eye things in themſelves, but ſo as we are able to ſee God in them.
And you ſhall know it by the various tempers of your ſouls: for ſometimes you are more ſpirituall, and ſometimes more carnall: when you are carnall, you uſe more of the creature, and never ſee God at all; but when you are ſpirituall, you ſee God, and his love in Chriſt in every thing.
I ſhall now ſhew you how God brings his children This fondneſs wrought four wayes.to this holy fondneſſe, and I would leave you longing for it; and I truſt in God to leave ſome ſouls ſick, till God work, and bring up their ſouls to that; I will name but onelyonly four.
The firſt thing is, that God utterly convinceth a Saint 1. By diſabling all the Creation to this end.of the vanity of every creature, and of every condition, he will never be fond till then: God lets him ſuck one creature after another, and then he ſees the vanity of them. God puts him into one condition after another: O, ſaith a Saint, when he is ſick, if I were well, I ſhould rejoyce, and glorifie God: God gives him health, and then he is in a worſe temper. When he is poor, ſaith he, If I had to pay my debts, and to ſet up handſomly, then I ſhould ſerve God; God ſets him up, and lets his heart go after covetouſneſſe, and ſaith to him, Doſt thou not ſee that thou art worſe then thou wert before? So God chaſeth him from one creature to another, and from one condition to another. If he would be in the Country, God convinceth him that he will be worſe then in the Town; At laſt he ſaith, Lord, I have tried, and hunted all, and I ſee they are a company of vanities. And ſometime when he is ſick in body, and ſhaken in ſoul, God appears gloriouſly, and makes the worſt condition better then the beſt: ſo God follows, and traſeth, and chaſeth him from one to another, till he bring him to ſee every creature vanity, and every condition; and, ſaith a Saint, I do not much care what condition, whether he put me in priſon, or at liberty, whether I be rich or poor; well or ſick, ſo he reveal himſelf to my ſoul. You will never be fond till you come to that, till God convince you of all conditions, and of the uſe of all creatures, and tire thee that thy ſoul may ſay, God is all in all; I am indifferent what creatures I have, or want, or what condition I am in: for I have ſeen God to be all in all, I have ſeen nothing in riches, and in liberty, but as God comes into a condition, or is abſent, ſo it is ſweet or bitter, good, or bad. People that are profeſſors in theſe ſad times, they would not be ſo reaching, and griping and undermining, for offices, and places, and preferments, and I know not what, if they did ſee this.
Another way it this, that the Lord ſheds his love into their hearts, Rom, 5. he poures it out, as you would 2 By Gods pouring forth his love in their heartpour out a Paile, or a Bucket of water; God ſo overpowers the heart with his love, that there is no guilt, no hardneſs, no fear, no ſpirit of bondage at all left in the ſoul. Beloved; why are not we more fond of God? why is not he more deare to us? The reaſon is, becauſe we have many hard thoughts of him, that he may be an enemy as well as a friend, and I know not what he means: I look upon him at a catch, as with a ſtaffe in his hand to ſtrike me. There are abundance of thoſe thoughts in the ſoul, eſpecially in affliction; ſome profeſſors are ready to ſay, God hath found me out as an hypocrite, and plagueth me. In afflictions, ordinary profeſſors looſe more, though they talk of getting. But the Lord comes to ſome of his children, and ſo overpowers their hearts with his love, that there is not one thought nor imagination in their hearts, but onelyonly of love to him, and then they will be fond: for when they ſee pure love in God, and nothing but a principle of pure love in them to God; what ſhould hinder but they ſhould be fond one of another? There is a homely compariſon, a woman that hath butter in a diſh, ſhe melts ſome of the butter; but if ſhe take it too ſoon from the fire, there will be a core, a knob in the diſh left, and being taken from the fire it grows bigger, till all be hard. So a weak Saint, by ſtudying the promiſes of God, and the love of God, it diſſolves much of the knobbineſse, yet there are ſome hard thoughts, and Iealouſies, and ſuſpitions: but God comes at laſt, and melts all the butter together, all the knobbineſſ that is in the heart, every thought, and imagination, of terrour, and guilt, and fear, that there is a clear, and pure principle of love to God, and then the ſoul is fond of him.
The Lord takes a great deal of delight to train and bring up his childe to be more in love with him: God will ſo traine and bring him up, that if he throw him into the worſt condition that can be for body, or ſoul, and ſhall ſay, what thinkeſt thou of me now? haſt thou any hard thoughts of me? ſaith God: No, ſaith the ſoul, all is Love. As for inſtance, I will tell you a thing, the worſt on this ſide hell, I ſpeake not of impriſonment▪ or ſhame, but God may take him, and leave him to ſin, and then the ſoul awakes, and thinks, good Lord where am I? O what a hell have I in me! for there is a hell in the heart, if God take off the vail of grace, if he draw the Curtain, there is nothing but hell in the ſoul: There are many ſins that thou haſt committed, that there is not a ſoul in the world that hath committed worſe. This is true, ſaith a Saint, and doſt thou not think, ſaith God, that thou art an hypocrite? and that I ſhall damn thee for this? No, ſaith the ſoul, I know I have nothing in me but of thy Grace, and if thou draw the Curtain, all is hell; but there is nothing but love, even then after ſin, there is not one hard thought, it makes the ſoul more fond: he ſaith, it is true, I am ſo, and there is no devil that hath worſe thoughts, but the more need I have to go to my Father, for I am thy ſon, I am ſure of that; and ſeeing that I am weaker then I was, I have the more need to betake me to thy lap, and into thy arms, and ſo he grows more fond of God by ſin it ſelf.
Nay, I will tell you a greater then that. What can that be? There is one greater, and yet all this cannot quench the love and fondneſs that is between the ſoul and God, that is, when God corrects his childe with one ſin for another: It may be for his fault he lets him run to covet Places and Offices, &c. and the next day after, the Lord ſuffers another luſt to carry him as in a Chariot to hell, that this may make him take heed how he looks after ſuch things. This is the worſt between this and hell ſaith God: Should I not now come, and break thee in pieces as a villain? No, ſaith the ſoul, this is a wiſe deſign of thy love, and there is nothing but love in thee to me, and there ſhall be nothing but pure love in me to thee.
Learn theſe things, beloved, There are many that come to hear, and all that I can ſee from them, is, that if there be controverſal, they diſpute of that when they come home, but lay theſe things to heart, as it is ſaid of Mary, and beg of the Lord to ſcrew up your ſouls to that heavenly, bleſſed Life, that you may attain in this world.3. Aſſurance of conqueſt over all kinde of enemies.
The third thing, before which a Saint will never be fond, is, God will convince him of an abſolute, perfect conqueſt over all his enemies. A childe of God will never be fond till he be ſecure, and he will never be ſo till God ſhew him by his Spirit, that he is more then conqueror over moſt of his enemies, and that he is a certaine conquerour over all. And this is by faith: for by ſenſe ſin prevails over us, and if we ſay we have ſin, we do not ſay true. But by faith, when Satan is moſt ſevere, he is conquered, and ſin when it is moſt violent, he looks on it as a vaſſall at his foot, intreating pardon. It is ſaid in Daniel, that Chriſt came to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, and make an end of ſin. A Saint by faith ſees ſin ended, as hell, and damnation, and wrath, and the curſe is ſo, ſin ſhall be out of doors. There is no damnation to them that are in Chriſt. He hath redeemed us out of the hands of our enemies, that we might ſerve him without fear, as Zechary ſaith, from all our enemies: and he ſhall (as Malachy ſaith) tread his enemies as aſhes under his feet.
This is that that keeps a Saint under, he cannot come to the height of love to God; becauſe there is ſome enemy that over-tops him. This day, when he hears that our ſouls are over ſin, he is cheary: but when he comes home, there comes a ſin or a temptation, and breaks all, and he is at a loſs. Now when faith is ſcrued ſo high, as to tread on all enemies, on ſin, which is the ſtrongeſt: ſay it be a ſtrong temptation of covetouſneſſe, thou ſtudieſt to purchaſe and to enlarge thine inheritance: ſuppoſe there be ſuch a thing in thy ſoul, and it is violent, and thou haſt offered to reſiſt it, and thou canſt not: thou mayſt ſay, Sin, though thou be ſtrong, and I cannot put thee cut, thou haſt bolted the door, but thou art my ſlave, and in the blood of Chriſt, I am thy conquerour; thou thinkeſt to conquer me, but thou art my vaſſall and my ſlave. And much more may he ſay ſo of Satan; Thou moleſteſt me, but thou art condemned, I am made Lord over thee in the blood of Chriſt. Grace, and ſin will mount as the bird and the Hawk, and the one ſeek to out-mount the other: the bird for ſafety, the Hawk for prey: ſo grace and ſin get one above another. O, ſaith grace, I would be holy: ſaith ſin, thou ſhalt be covetous. I will pray, ſaith grace; but I will make thee my poſſeſsion, ſaith ſin. When the ſoul out-mounts ſin, to the place where dwelleth righteouſneſſe, that Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken; that I ſee all my enemies beneath: and when they are moſt ſtrong, and imperious over me, I look on them with a peaceable & quiet ſpirit
Laſt of all, and ſo I have done with this; notwithſtanding all this the ſoul could not be fond of God, but 4. By a ſpirituall ad heſion to the new Covenant.as God gives him a ſpirituall underſtanding of the new Covenant; the enemies will over-mount the ſoul elſe. As for inſtance, to give you but one illuſtration, there are ſuch pangs, and ſuch a temper in the ſoul of a Saint, as that ſometimes, nothing in the world can give him ſatisfaction; there is ſin, and temptation, and it may be paine in body: and where is God, and the ſpirit, and any thing to help? God can help, but who knows whether he will or no? now I am in the hands of mine enemies: In comes the Covenant, O (ſaith the ſoul) it is true, I am in the hands of mine enemies, and God may chuſe whether he will reſcue me. He might have done, but now he is bound in an everlaſting Covenant, that (with reverence) God muſt help: time was when God might have caſt me to hell, and he was not bound to ſave me, but the caſe is altered, God is bound to ſave me. Therefore ſaith David, Though my houſe be not ſo with God, yet there is a Covenant, this is my deſire, and joy. Many times, the ſoul is ſo that nothing can relieve it but the Covenant that God is bound, that God cannot though he would deſert him.
If you examine, what this Covenant is; and whereto it is? The Lord knows we are apt to meaſure him by our ſelves, and ſo we do in every thing: we think our thoughts, as Gods thoughts, and his thoughts as ours: therefore God is willing to condeſcend unto us in our own way: for that God that contrived a way of ſalvation before the world was, we may not fear but that that love will carry us thorow: but God would come in our way, and take that way that one man doth with another: becauſe we are apt to meaſure God by our ſelves, therefore he comes and ſaith, and if that ſerve not, he ſwears, and if that will not ſerve, he brings a ſeal, and a Covenant, and then with men a man is ſafe enough: So, Gods word had been enough; but becauſe we ſhould have ſtrong conſolation, that muſt be conveyed according to our apprehenſions, and thoughts: there God ſaith, and ſwears, and makes a Covenant, and binds himſelf, that we may ſee him bound. Therefore ſaith the Apoſtle in the Galatians, If it be but a mans Covenant, none can diſſanull it. As if he ſhould ſay, I made this for your ſakes, or elſe I have one, and none can alter it: but foryour ſakes I came down, and made a Covenant like men; and There are three that bear witneſs, and that is enough among men: therefore think my love will be conſtant to the end. So when a Chriſtian is at a dead lift, this relieves him, not that God can ſave him if he will, but that God muſt, he is bound to ſave him.
It is a pitifull thing, when a man is in the hands of a thouſand enemies; and then can only ſay, peradventure God will ſave me and reſcue me, but when the ſoul ſees that God muſt reſcue it, and there is a Covenant made, and ſealed with the blood of Chriſt, and it is not poſſible to be broken, Gods Covenant is to ſave me, and preſerve me to his everlaſting Kingdom. Thus I have briefly ſhewed you that fondneſſe that is between a Saint, and God; and the book of Canticles is (as I told you) nothing but a book of fondneſſe (as I may ſay) between Chriſt and the Saints. Therefore you ſhould aime at the good of your ſouls, and ſeeing there is ſuch a condition, that there are Saints that are ſo, deſire the Lord to make you ſuch.